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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23375248">"I Was Talking About You"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kacychase/pseuds/Kacychase'>Kacychase</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>I Love Yoo (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:42:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23375248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kacychase/pseuds/Kacychase</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shin-Ae needs a tutor. Soushi wants to ask a specific blue-haired woman out. For that, they do a little exchange so that both hopefully get what they achieve.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hirahara "Nol" Yeong-Gi/Yoo Shin-Ae, Rika Lau/Soushi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Trade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/cashewbean/gifts">cashewbean</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hope you guys can enjoy! ^^ I'm gifting this to the very talented casheewbean. Check out their stories! They are great works.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Soushi’s case has been long gone. In fact, he has been crushing for Rika so much that even she caught up herself – and he’s still trying to figure how to tell her? Dude, I can’t believe that we’re sitting in a Ramen shop like this, Rika, him, Yeong-Gi, Dieter, Maya, Min-Hyuk and I, and practically </span>
  <em>
    <span>everybody</span>
  </em>
  <span> is chuckling at Soushi like this. “So, uh, you guys wanna go to the arcade this weekend?,” his voice gets to the other who have just been talking about when to meet again. Good times. “I know it’s packed with all the kids, but it’s cool at night,” Soushi adds after a suspicious “Really dude?” coming from Maya.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, I would’ve agreed to her otherwise. As I look around, quickly stealing a glance from Yeong-Gi, we all agree. Suddenly, I feel a small smirk on my face. “Sure! Sounds great”, Rika answers positively and shoots a smile at the Australian. My smirk turns into a grin as I see him blush and grin in this weird way. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This dude be crushin’. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Judging by Min-Hyuk’s gaze, he agrees with me on that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think I can make it, actually”, I just mumble, and I already feel my disappointment in leaving my friends like that. Quickly, I look to Yeong-Gi as he asks: “Why though? Is it because of work?” “Nah, not really…,” I respond in a muttering fashion. To be honest, by now, my English grades might not matter as much as I want them to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, I can’t afford to fail in that subject, especially because I don’t pay attention this year anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I need a tutor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, I don’t fail to notice some eyes on me. It’s kind of cornering me but inside, I know that they’re just caring for me. For some reason, my heart feels warm. After all these years, sitting here, I kind of feel okay again. “Oh, okay. Tell us when you need help,” I hear Min-Hyuk say and a few people nodding their heads. “Thanks guys, it’s nothing really. I’m fine, really, just a little something I have to deal with,” I reply with an awkward smile. Hopefully, they don’t ask more…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>God, why am I so embarrassed about this?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. How about you guys?,” Dieter asks into the round while I silently contemplate. I swear, I wish it would be easier to find someone who can actually speak English well and can understand the language. It’s so different from Korean! How the heck does the world understand it so easily?! Man… I guess I could ask Dieter? His family is from America after all...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although it does sound reasonable, I feel my stomach rebel against the thought, and with reason at that. Silently letting out a breath, I quickly glance over the others. Maya and Min-Hyuk seem to be utterly focused on Soushi and Rika’s spectacle, who kind of flirt… Or rather, Rika laughs at his jokes. I guess she kind of got over her crush on Min-Hyuk? Well, at least I hope so for the dude. Trying to ignore Dieter’s occasional stares, I quickly gloss over Nol – and I catch my eyes resting on them. He’s sitting between Soushi and Dieter, right in front of me, eating his ramen. To be honest, I kind of got to think that he might be kind of… a little… teeny tiny bit…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, I said it. This stupid giant bigfoot be kinda fine okay?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shin-Ae?” His eyes suddenly look up to me, his gaze as questioning as the past times I have tried to cover my ass. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Quick!</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Uhm…” “You look a little sick. Did you drink enough water?” His worry kind of melts my heart but at the same time, I’m getting even more embarrassed. “No, no! Don’t you worry about me! It’s nothing!,” I quickly let out louder and higher pitched than I want it to. Dammit. Seeing Min-Hyuk who throws a side-glance at me, I can see the chuckle in his eyes… What an asshole.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Nol just replies with a raised eyebrow before continuing to eat, sometimes throwing glances at me. After a while, the conversation just goes on. Everyone is talking about what they’re about to do after high school, which college has accepted them, how Min-Hyuk has been reckless for just finishing his semester </span>
  <em>
    <span>again. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But at some point, all of us pay and have to go because the shop is closing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So see all of you on Saturday minus Shin-Ae?,” Maya asks, looking everyone into the eyes. With everyone nodding we give each other goodbyes and hugs and all. But just as I’m about to go home with Min-Hyuk, I hear two people calling for my name. “Shin-Ae!” As I turn around, I see the two guys calling my name – and one of them for sure makes my heart stutter maybe a little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But just as I lock eyes with Yeong-Gi, I hear Soushi saying: “Yo, Shin-Ae, my fella! Can I talk to you for a sec?” The grin he shoots at me makes my mouth go into a line. As I see Yeong-Gi’s face, I just wanna see Soushi’s face out of here for a sec. “Wait for me, alright?,” I call over to Yeong-Gi who just nods as I turn to the brunette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thank God this guy is trustable to some degree. Quickly clearing up things with Min-Hyuk (who pouts about having no going-home partner and has caused Maya to be offended), I see them go to their home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Soushi tells me to follow him across the corner, I just try to suppress the though </span>
  <em>
    <span>pedophile </span>
  </em>
  <span>or </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidnapper </span>
  </em>
  <span>because it’s kind of unfair to him. But he is kinda crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright”, he says and stops. Scratching his open hair, he looks away from me, focusing on other parts of our surroundings instead. “What do you wanna talk about?” To be fair, it’s quite unusual to ask me to talk in private. To be exact, actually, he has never done it before. Catching his blush</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re Rika’s friend and don’t spill the beans, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The way he nervously utters it, has his mouth distorted and looks at me wide-eyed has me laughing. Man, and this dude claims to know about girls? “Shin-Ae, what the hell?! Not cool man!” “Sorry, you should’ve seen your face,” I quickly respond, trying to stifle my laughter into a grin. Man is it hard… Anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about it?”, I ask in a more serious tone. I kinda get the shame by now I guess. “Well…”, he starts, looking unsure again and letting out a breath, “You see, I think I… I think wanna ask Rika out you know. And before that, I wanna get some advice from an insider.” His elaboration does sound interesting. At least I can help my two buddies out. “Sure. She loves a calm but sweet, kind of old-fashioned date in a way. Just the typical”, I respond in a calmer tone, “At least that’s what I think…” His eyes seem distant and deep in thought. “So a movie would be fine?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess,” I just shrug. I seriously have no clue about dates. However, I do want to encourage him, so I quickly say: “Between the two of us: she already likes you, so you’ve got good chances there bud.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grin tells me more than I want to. “Really? Awesome! I owe you one, Shin-bro,” he exclaims excitedly. “Don’t call me that,” I deadpan back at him, but he just takes my arms and pulls me back to the entrance of the now closed Ramen shop. The light posts and the windows of bigger buildings are the main light sources as we turn around the corner and see Yeong-Gi, leaning against his well-known old-man-car. His features look way sharper with the light falling halfway on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, I’ll see you guys around I guess?”, Soushi says insecurely to both Yeong-Gi and I once we have crossed the street and arrived at his. The redhead looks up from his phone to give us a look, then smiles one-sidedly. “Yeah, man. See you around!,” Yeong-Gi just replies, giving Soushi a bro hug before Soushi gets to me. “So, Shin-Ae, if you want a favor from me, just hit me up alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huh. Guess he’s kind of nice. And now that he mentions it, I realize that he in fact is half Australian… maybe he can teach me some English? Or knows someone who could tutor me at a cheap price? the salary of my two workplaces have been worth it after all. “Actually,” I mutter and immediately feel dumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Who said that you can trust them?</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a sudden thought pops up in my mind. Honestly, thinking about it, I have heard this voice all the time in my life. I thought that letting everybody talk would make it easier, that stuff wouldn’t get to me. But that’s a lie, and now I have people who truly care – or at least I like to think that.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> say that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know someone who would help me with English aside from Dieter? I know this might sound random,” I start and quickly notice Yeong-Gi starting to stand upright and look at me, now with a questioning look. I don’t mind mentioning it in front of him. “What do you have against Dieter?!”, I hear Soushi squeal and immediately sigh in distress. Dammit. “He’s the purest-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing, everything’s good between the two of us!”, I interrupt him annoyed, “It’s just that I don’t want to bother him right now, okay?” For some reason, I don’t feel safe telling Soushi this. But he’s just crazy right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, what I say makes him look at sasquatch, then back at me. “I could teach you but I suck at teaching you. I’ll see what I can do, kay?” Damn. He’s actually quite considerate. Maybe him and Rika could hit it off in the long run after all. “Thanks,” I just murmur and wave at him. “Sure thing, see ya around!,” he turns around with a last grin and a waving hand before he goes off into the streets, turning around a corner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well… Now the other dingus. “Yeong-Gi? What about you?,” I turn to him and take in his face that has been focused on the phone until now. His eyes are locked with mine now. “Oh. I just thought that you might want a ride after this.” His smile says something else. “Really?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” he just looks straight into my eyes, and I really can’t get out of my hand how </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretty </span>
  </em>
  <span>they are. And his face in general… I can’t believe that he doesn’t see himself how handsome he actually is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also wanted to ask if everything’s alright at yours.” His eyes as serious as they can be, I kind of have this warm feeling again. It’s so weird. “I’m fine, thanks for asking,” I just answer with a small smile, “Everything’s going fine. My jobs have been paying and all. It’s just really my English grade. If I continue to do this badly, I might get into other trouble as well except for just repeating because I want to be better. I don’t want to fail in my records.” Hie seems to contemplate something as he brings his hands to his face ad puts his index finger on his mouth. For some reason, his movement is quite alluring “Ah. I see… Is that why you have just asked Soushi about a tutor?” Nodding, we just stand there for a while. “And how are things going for you?,” I ask, seeing his off-guard expression as he moves aside, giving me the opportunity to sit next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for giving me a ride by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As we both have seated ourselves in his car, I can practically smell his scent oozing from my left. Okay. I have to look at him. It’s not like I wouldn’t have the strength to look away or anything… I just won’t be able to do it forever, right? “So… Nana wants to prepare for my leave for the Navy,” Yeong-Gi sighs, mentioning the elephant in the room. He has mentioned it once after the trial, that he has to get the hell out of this place, and I understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wish I could support him more than I feel like right now. “How is that going? Do you have everything you need?” My question is received with a smile of his, eyes shortly glancing at me before changing back to the road. “Nana says I still need to eat to stay in form but I think that aside, I have everything set,” Yeong-Gi still smiles when focusing on the road and saying something that quite surprises me: “You know, if you look for an English tutor this bad, I can help you with English.” Can he speak English well?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?! That would be awesome. How much for an h-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not taking money, Shin-Ae,” he immediately interjects, taking a turn into the street I’m living in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, he looks good when he drives… “Why though? I can’t just let you do the work. You’ve paid me for a tutoring session you’ve barely been at!,” I argue, definitely not having it. His facial expression shows deeper thought, as if he’s trying to convince me into something else. “Okay, how about that,” he starts, “How about I will teach you but you pay for the food?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Finally setting my agreement to it, he smiles in a weird, deep way. “What is it?,” I quickly ask, not bothering to conceal my suspicion. What is he thinking? Usually, he’s a rather sad person, and I’m not sure what has happened to him in the past… But at least now, I want to be there for him and help him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he stops the car and as I watch my surroundings, I realize that we are indeed at my home. God, am I glad that at least one of us has watched the road. But as we stop, he doesn’t turn towards me but watches his hands. Sometimes I still wonder what he has thought back then… I didn’t want to come across as a cheater back then. But now it doesn’t matter that much anymore. Alyssa isn’t his girlfriend anymore. “It’s just a bummer that we haven’t met before,” he mutters lost in thought, his smile quite a painful one to watch. He lays one of his hands – probably unintentionally – close to one of mine while the other one remains on his lap. “You’ve been really nice to me and-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I can’t handle this right now. These words from him do something to my heartstrings. In fact, my smile doesn’t come as intentionally as I wish it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And neither is the movement of taking his hand. He just looks at me in shock again, but then his facial expression vanishes into a softer one, looking directly into my eyes. “Hey,” I just say to him, having his face fixated on me, “I might not have been there before, but now that I’m there, I will show you that there are people you can trust, no matter where you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh God, his smile is so small, yet so meaningful to me. I think I’m blushing by his eyes, his overall frame. “Thanks again, Shin-Ae. Sometimes I…,” he starts saying, but stops mid-sentence with another kind of smile – one of these that conceal his true self, “Nevermind. You really help me figure this kind of stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anytime.” Sighing, I just smile at him, understanding that opening up has been difficult for him But I should leave before this gets out of control. “I guess it’s time for me to leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yeah…,” Yeong-Gi mutters and opens the car locks. “Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was that a blush just there?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see you around then?,” I just exit the care into the warm summer breeze. I miss his scent though. But I hear his voice call me: “Wait!” Turning around in wonder, I see him bending down to see me, his green eyes gazing at mine. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>really is handsome</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Is this dude blind himself?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When do you want to meet for the tutoring?” Ah shit, right. That’s happening now. “Uh… Do you have time on Saturday?,” I ask, and he just replies: “Sure. Not during the arcade though.” Nodding, I already feel myself yawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that it’s early, right?” His playful grin doesn’t escape my vision – maybe because I’m directly gazing at him. But honestly, he can also just </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop with that</span>
  </em>
  <span>: “Shut up, sasquatch. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t actually break anything of your body.” With a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hmpf</span>
  </em>
  <span> of mine and a chuckle of his filling the silence, I just hear him say: “Alright, tiny. I’ll see you on Saturday?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seriously?! “If you call me tiny once more, you won’t!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I guess I’ll find you another tutor,” he just retorts with a grin, having me cornered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grumbling “See you on Saturday,” I close the car door in front of him, head to the entrance of the complex and unlock the door, the engine of his car in my ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It only leaves once I have closed the entrance door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Guess I found a tutor huh?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Soushi and Rika's date... What does Soushi need for that? Is he actually ready for a date?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Rika: Are you asking me out on a date?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deep breaths Soushi. You’ve rehearsed this, I tell myself as I type in my well-versed answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Soushi: Yeah.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nailed it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be quite honest, I’m nervous right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I guess it should be manageable now. The only thing that is missing is the time. Yo, I really owe Shin-Ae this one. Again, my phone lights up with one of her messages.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rika: How about Friday evening? I’m free there!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sweet stuff. Yeap, I have time there, too. Writing her that it’s now set, I put off the phone and throw it somewhere, leaning against the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goddammit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I guess I’m gonna go on a date tomorrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Throughout school, I kinda feel unconcentrated. Deciding that I definitely need help with that, I text both Yeong-Gi and Dieter. Surely they got some advice for that kind of stuff right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least I am hella glad when I meet them at the entrance of Dieter’s school. “Soushi! Hey!,” I hear Dieter’s voice call me. The innocent young man bro-hugs me as I say: “Yo, Dieter, my boy! How are you doing?” With a grin on my face, I throw a last glance at him before turning to my other bro. “Yeon-Gi!,” I exclaim with the same thing and “Soushi, man! How are you?” Those two always have such huge biceps, it’s kind of intimidating.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m screwed for tomorrow, guys! How the heck am I supposed to do a date?,” I just exclaim in panic, throwing up my hands. But all I receive are amused faces and Yeong-Gi’s suppressed chuckle. “Why you laughin’?!,” I add upset. “I seriously dunno mate!” My pitch might be a little too high for my voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Yeong-Gi’s grin just widens and Dieter just gets awkward, looking away. “You can always ask Dieter,” the redhead calmly suggests and quickly offers lunch - with him paying. “N-no! It wasn’t a date! We’re only friends and you know it!,” Dieter replies, partly offended. I still can’t believe that Dieter doesn’t acknowledge it as a date! “Naw, man. After the rejection and you guys being friends, I will spare you,” I gracefully say and pat the blonde angel on the shoulder. “What about you and Alyssa? You didn’t go on any dates or anything?!,” I ask Yeong-Gi instead as both Dieter and I agree to the free food.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Really, who wouldn’t? Especially now that I’m stress-eating. I need to somehow get tips from my boys. Both seem to be good with speaking to girls, right? “You’re going to be alright, Rika likes you already man. Don’t worry about it, just enjoy your time,” the redhead tries to console me but it just makes me even more nervous. This is RIKA we’re talking about. She’s sweet and beautiful and funny and nice and all…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone tell me how to behave normally around her. Yeah. Not gonna happen. “Yo, Yeong-Gi…,” I whisper to him as we stand in front of the bakery, “You’re blind?” This makes the redhead look weirdly to the side. “Rika is… like, you know! I can’t just be like that around her! Dieter, you get it, right?!,” I turn to the blondie and nervously babble this crap. But as I see his face, I feel like I might have overstepped a boundary. His face looks distant and his smile seems sad. What a pure boi. “Yeah…,” he just mutters but I immediately add to that. “Didn’t mean to do that. We’ll cheer you up now, yea? Currywurst might be around, amirite?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least his eyes get up to mine. “Yeah.” His smile looks at least a little happier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Guess I’m not gonna talk about my date, though it’s kind of burning my tongue to talk about it to my bros…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, here I am, a day later, Friday evening. She has told me to meet her there and I have sincerely tried to put on the best clothes I have. I wish they would have been newer and less washed than they are… But what can I do?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why do I start caring about my clothes now?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s no way back now anyway. Deep breath, Soushi. You’re the man. Your sisters helped you choose the close via Swype. You got money for tickets, snacks and food. Dieter and Yeong-Gi and even Shin-Ae approve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You’re a handsome lad who knows the insiders. You got thi-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And there she comes. Her blue hair left open, she’s wearing a lovely, elegant but chique light blue t-shirt that fits her long jeans. She looks really beautiful and as her eyes look at me, damn. I think I should look away sometime. “Hey!,” she smiles at me approaching me as we go closer and closer. Standing in front of me, I suddenly realize that there’s another hurdle we have to overcome. Waving? A hug? But in the end, I guess she just smiles at me with the cutest blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How can she be so cute yet kinda hot at the same time? That’s unfair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Get your shit together, man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay, time to stop staring. “Hello, Rika,” I reply with a crooked smile. Okay, making this awkward. Good call with the hello. “How are you doing? Y-you look great by the way!,” I quickly mumble, remembering that girls like to hear compliments.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And I am right, her cute blush and laugh are a nice view and sound. I should do this more often. “Haha, thank you. Maya and I got this recently on a shopping spree. I thought I wanted to look pretty on a date,” she replies sweetly. A grin forms on my face. I reply: “That’s pretty cool of you. Wanna watch a movie?” As she agrees and we go in, we start to talk about other things. We have finished our finals - thank God - and both now contemplate about possible jobs. “Maya told me that her mom could use a hand at her bakery,” Rika mentions in the middle of the talk, having me smile. The two girls really stick together. “So I might just try to earn money and see what I’ll want to do.” “I’ll make sure to visit you and get myself a pastry or two,” I grin at her and her smile makes me even happier. Man, am I glad that she agreed to this date.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As we enter the building, both of us look at the programs of the movie, and I’m horrified. No. Not another horror movie. “Um… Soushi? Have you reserved movie tickets?,” Rika’s unsure voice enters my system, and I now really feel regret.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You were thinking about clothes, how to behave, what Rika might like… but not to order damn movie tickets?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nervously, and only half-joking I suggest, fumbling with the hair tie in my hair: “Uh… wanna do something else instead?” As I see her face, her raised eyebrows and her smirk oozes curiosity, and I can’t help but stare. “Like what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now that’s a question I would like to answer, but I don’t know what to do. Until… “How about this:...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And here we are. In the arcade. She has told me that she doesn’t mind training against me and secretly getting to know what the other guys might be into. Shin-Ae is so wrong - Rika is nothing like this classy and fancy stuff! “Yo, what the hell?! How did you do that???,” I exclaim as she bumps my car. Apparently, she’s really good at Fabio Kart. “It’s not that hard!,” she retorts with a laughter as she</span>
  <em>
    <span> again </span>
  </em>
  <span>passes the finish line above me. Great.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least I’m not the worst in her friend group.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As we both exist the game menu and call it a day with games, both of us look at each other in unison. “That was fun,” Rika says with a laugh in her voice. I guess she has loved my outbursts on games. How… how can one like that this much? It’s kinda cool how accepting she is of me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for being so okay with the change of place,” I grin at her as we both get off the seats of the arcade. “Don’t worry, I wanted you to train me anyway,” she smoothly says, even winks at me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Holy sht. I didn’t know Rika could do that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s kind of hot. Blushing like hell, both of us can’t help but walk away. “Oh gosh, that’s so not like me,” she laughs nervously, making me kind of melt. It’s cute to see her this shy, blushing. “I liked it though, don’t worry,” I reply with a grin, feeling my heartbeat speed up. Looking up at me with her dark eyes, she clearly seems surprised, her mouth slightly open. Man. This would be a perfect time to kiss her and find out what it feels like. I bet she’d be awesome to kiss. “So, do you want to go somewhere else? Just to hang?,” I ask in a moment of being brave. Haha, so much about that. Hopefully she’ll agree to this because I still wanna get to know </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As if games and movies could give us that opportunity. It was fun though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be lovely. How about dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quite honestly, I’m kinda nervous about the fact that I may not have enough change left. “What’s up?” Crap, she caught me. Am I that readable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ahaha what do you mean?,” I awkwardly laugh it off, going with my hand through my hair. I even take away the hair tie. For a moment, Rika blinks before repeating what she means.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you really want to go eating tonight? It can be on me if you want to.” No way I’ll let her pay. “No no, it’s fine! It’s just…,” I reply with a smile, raising my hands and then stop mid-sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What should I tell her?! I don’t know man! Should I lie? “Um, I… I need to help out one of my sisters. I really had fun today but I can’t leave them alone for longer.” Also, I can’t  just stay here and let her pay. I invited her on the date after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, you need to leave?” Man, why does she sound so sad? “Yeah… Sorry,” I respond, rubbing my neck. “It’s been great though. Maybe, if you want to… can we… uh…” Shit. Can I maybe say the sentence without going full red-mode?!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Rika is an amazing person, as always. As she approaches me, I feel my heart skip one or two beats, thankfully silenced, and she kisses me on the cheek. “I’d love to,” she mutters with a telling smile. “Next time, we can train playing skills, just in case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t that bad though!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thanks… I was talking about you,” she admits, looking to the side, pursing her lips so that she doesn’t laugh. My mouth is left agape right there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did she just roast me?! “Hey! I’m not that bad, I’m not that bad!” We both head to the exit of the arcade, and I feel her hand so close to mine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t think about it.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yep, I just take her hand in mine. And her blush makes it so worthwhile. “Rika?” God, is she beautiful when she blushes. As we walk through the exit, the summer breeze softly blow through her hair.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re pretty, you know?,” I absentmindedly tell her. Her eyes lock with me. Dude. I’m selfishly glad that my friends aren’t aware of how beautiful she actually is. Her mouth slightly agape and her eyes wide, she looks up at me. I could really get accustomed to these blushes. “You’re handsome yourself, Soushi. Thank you for the date,” she mumbles and shyly looks away into the distance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, dude. Soushi. Time to be a man. Come on. You can do it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Softly, I put a hand on her cheek. As she looks up, her eyes are wide with surprise. I’m just looking down at her. “Uh-uhm… Soushi?” Her lips look so soft right now, and her face is so flustered…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, fuck it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>I lean down and as our lips connect, I distinctly remember a kissing tutorial… And even though my brain halfway shuts down, I definitely know one thing: the kiss feels damn awesome.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We break the kiss after a while, both of us softly trying to get some air. Then, suddenly, she looks away. What’s wrong? “Rika? You okay there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah… That was nice.” Her voice is so soft and low that I nearly can’t handle the cuteness. I can’t help but laugh. “H-hey!,” she just exclaims, looking still all flustered and even shier than before. Okay, I was being a prick just now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, but you’re… You’re cute right now,” I just chuckle and give her another kiss on the forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, aye?,” I ask her and shoot her a typical boyish grin. My heart is still beating on full speed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiles back at me and it comes right through my soul. “Yeah, see you tomorrow.” As she waves at me and I wave back at her, I realize that I should probably start to train on Fabio Kart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While walking home, I suddenly feel my phone vibrate. It seems that Yeong-Gi has texted me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeong-Gi: You don’t need to look for Shin-Ae’s tutor. I’ll help her out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quickly writing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>K m8</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I head back to my house, already afraid of telling my sisters how this went. To be honest, the trade of information with Shin-Ae might have been useless when it comes to information. But the date was still a full success. I might tell my buddies later.</span>
</p>
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